Like consumers, brands can vote with their dollars, and that is precisely what they've been doing lately to align their media spends with their core values to take a stance. Unilever is one of those companies and led by example when they protested the irresponsibility of social media companies last year through a six-month social media advertising boycott, including its longtime partner, Facebook. So, how can your company also take a stance with your media dollars? Rob Master, Unilever's Vice President of media and digital engagement, suggests developing a “responsible framework.” He emphasizes the importance of making industry and media partners accountable for brand-safe environments. This model will hold both the industry and your company responsible for what it's putting out in the world. Your company's framework should also include determining KPIs on responsible investment goals, valuing these the same as business KPIs, and having the confidence to operate with a purpose knowing that it will lead to business success. In fact, there are many benefits to companies that choose to take a stance and lead with their values: - Increased sales - Better hiring pools - New branding opportunities that set your company apart from the competition, - An increase in exposure to news sites, influencers, and third-party blogs, - And increased customer loyalty because your company is aligned with buyer values A company with a great example of this is Ben and Jerry's. While Ben and Jerry's has been around for generations, many choose to support the brand because they are known for their environmentally-friendly practices, such as local sourcing. They have even created ice cream flavors to support environmental protection (Rainforest Crunch and Save our Swirled), with proceeds donated to help those causes. Consumers not only get a tasty treat from supporting Ben and Jerry's but the peace of mind that they are helping a brand make an impact in the larger world. More customers expect brands to take a stance on causes, and companies that fail to embrace that call-to-action risk being passed over for another brand practicing brand activism.

According to multiple studies (and our own experience), mobile traffic has grown exponentially in daily media consumption over the last decade. It's more important than ever for marketers to optimize for not just the mobile experience but your company's SEO. Optimization is essential for your content and SEO strategy, and that's where Google AMP can step in, but it has some conditions: Advantages of AMP - Faster load times that improve and boost search rankings - Better UX; AMP offers the meat of a webpage without all the extras - Lower bounce rates meaning visitors are less likely to go to a competitor's website Disadvantages of AMP - High implementation effort, a developer will need to build an AMP template which equals time and money - Possibility of lower engagement; there are reports of other AMP users getting less engagement on their content So, Is AMP right for your website? AMP is primarily about improving user experience through faster site speed. Ensure that your site's user experience and content are optimized to get the most media dollars driving people to your business. And keep in mind that AMP is only one of many tools available to help with faster loading and streamlining websites for mobile devices.

Email marketing continues to have huge marketing potential, even with social media and other digital platforms increasing in popularity. But as we move into 2022, business will need to be savvier than ever to take advantage of this growing and increasingly important (first party data!) marketing channel. Here are the top two trends we are already seeing for next year: Trend #1: Using AI for Optimization Many businesses remain perplexed by the concept of artificial intelligence (AI), and even experienced marketers are skeptical of the use of AI in email marketing. However, there is more data available online than any marketer could ever handle, and I is necessary. AI can be used for: - Predicting outcomes with analytics - Testing and creating email subject lines and optimizing send times - Cleaning up mailing lists - Survey optimization - Increasing the speed of email marketing campaigns Trend #2: Hyper-personalization Customers want to feel valued and understood by the brands they purchase from. One of the most significant ways to make customers feel this way is through a comprehensive personalization strategy. Personalization is more than just a name. Analyze your customers' purchasing habits, preferred products, and services and create a series of emails related to their behaviors. You can also recommend content, products, tailored promotions, and messages by audience segments and trigger emails based on shopper/visitor behaviors and patterns. Trend #3: First party data We know that consumers will click on the products, headlines and deals of most interest to them. Use this data to segment your consumers, build first party data pools, and target them through other digital media. This will ensure you convert as many sales as possible. With 2022 approaching fast, take advantage of these email marketing trends now. Be sure to keep in mind how each will benefit your company and drive results.

Putting out messages and hoping to be found by potential customers isn’t the best strategy, particularly in today’s digital age. However, even with targeted campaigns, most messages are sent to a broad audience defined only by a few key attributes. And while acquisition is essential, it can be costly. But there are ways your brand can navigate customer acquisition marketing and be more effective. Try these three ideas: Data-Driven Consumer Modeling Dig into your existing customers and identify commonalities and buying signals that go beyond what social networks will tell you. This will require concerted internal data effort and expertise, but will allow you to direct marketing spend more effectively and reduce the overall cost to acquire new customers. Go Beyond Demographics Demographics have power in targeting your marketing efforts, but they do not necessarily reflect buying signals. Try building a target list around buying signals, then segment by demographic and target your creative to those segments. Ask For Help Data points for optimizing acquisition marketing are not always easily accessible. When looking to do advanced customer lift modeling, it helps to have experts on your side. Let Exverus be the experts you partner with to help you get ahead of the curve by digging into your data points today.

The holiday season is almost upon us, so now is the time to consider where your brand will show up during the most competitive time of year. One overlooked platform with tons of potential? Gift review sites. Visits at product and gift review sites (Strategist, Wirecutter, CNET, Consumer Reports) were up an average of 690% from November to December 2020 YOY. This season’s traffic could be even bigger. Remember that not all gift review sites are created equal. Many of the top-searched and most-visited gift guide results don’t accept paid placements at all, or only work with affiliate links. On the other end of the spectrum, fashion and beauty publications like Elle, Vogue, and Glamour offer paid spots and product-focused editorial content. However, these sites do not have as many visits. The trick is to find the balance between quality, trust and scale. This will mean different sites for different categories, or integrating your own gift guide natively into the content on popular sites. Gift guides are a trust-based entry point for brands, especially those with low awareness, to encourage consumers to make an online purchase. By placing your products in gift guides, you can simplify the consideration process for consumers. The rise in ecommerce has magnified the importance of gift guides this holiday season. Many consumers are expected to look to online gift guides for their holiday shopping so meet them where they are. ‘Tis the season (almost).

Nearly three-quarters of consumers have been trying new shopping behaviors in the past year, but the real story was the rise of mobile commerce. Q3 of 2020 garnered $28 billion of transactions on mobile apps alone, and 40% of shoppers are turning to their phones before shopping in-store. So, how can your brand benefit from this tidal shift? 3 Ways Mobile Commerce Can Build Brand Loyalty: 1. Become a One-Stop Shop Customers are looking for one app to shop, get advice, and access new releases instantly. Having a flagship app has proved to be a success for major brands like Adidas, who after expanding their app to include digital drops, personal stylists, and visual product search, saw digital sales go up 51% in Q3 of 2020! 2. Connect With Audience via Mobile Create a connection with your customers by engaging with them. Gather their user profile details (first-party data!) to offer a personalized brand experience. Connect with them through social media and email campaigns where they feel valued. 3. Give Exclusive Access to Mobile-Only Offers Exclusive offers that give users first dibs on new products make them feel like a special part of a community. Brands who market these offers drive more urgency and frequency in their customers' purchasing behavior: 58% of shoppers say an exclusive offer would increase their likelihood to purchase. 82% say it would increase how often they shopped with a brand. These app-based loyalty strategies will give you valuable first-party data to influence your future media and conversion opportunities. Keeping your customers' various needs in mind will help you master mobile and earn their loyalty through thick and thin. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter for free here.

The next frontier for ads may very well be mobile gaming. Sound far-fetched? A Deloitte Digital survey shows that more than 70% of Gen Z and millennials are open to viewing ads to reduce the cost of games. An additional survey found that 26% of Gen Z rank gaming as their favorite entertainment activity, a 7% increase from last year. But while mobile game ads may have potential, it’s important to keep the content fresh: 78% of gamers say there’s too much repetition in ads they see in mobile games, and they want to see more relevant ads. Why is this important? Mobile game ads could be a great option for brands who want to target millennials and Gen-Zers. Not only is this demographic receptive to ads on this platform but the usage numbers are significant. Mobile phones are the most popular gaming device with more than 150 million monthly mobile gamers, making up over 89% of all digital gamers. Additionally, the rise of mobile gaming may also influence viewership on streaming platforms such as Twitch. For brands seeking to find influencers, 65.8% of total hours spent on gaming video content was watched on Twitch. This gives marketers more options when it comes to deciding where to advertise. Final Takeaways Younger generations do not mind seeing advertisements in mobile games, as long as there is a true value exchange. Gaming is growing increasingly popular as a form of entertainment, giving advertisers more ways to reach their desired audience. Gamers are diverse and should not be generalized as one audience. Specific audience targeting is critical to ensure content resonates and performs.

The pandemic has changed consumer awareness of brand commitment to sustainability and environmental impact. What was once a nice-to-have is quickly becoming mandatory. A global survey by Accenture found that 60% of consumers are making more environmentally friendly, sustainable, or ethical purchases since the pandemic started. A survey by Ipsos MORI found that 65% of global respondents believe it’s important to prioritize climate change in the economic recovery after the pandemic. Similarly, An IBM study found that nearly 70% of consumers in the U.S. or Canada think it’s important for a brand to be sustainable or eco-friendly. Take Oatly, for instance. Oatly is the world’s original and largest oat drink company, based in Sweden and committed to creating dairy alternatives and strange Super Bowl ads.. Oatly’s tactic: bring change to the coffee counter, positioned as a ‘barista-certified’ lifestyle choice that resonates with consumers’ growing acknowledgement that they need to reduce beef and dairy consumption to protect the environment. Oatly champions environmentally-conscious product production and , saw an increase in revenues due to growing consumer consciousness. Oatly has posted a 53% rise in revenues compared to last year as health and climate consciousness boosts the company’s fortunes. Why is This Important? Oatly is just one example of how consumer trends are changing to become more conscious of the environment. Make sure your brand’s messaging addresses environmental impact and climate consciousness. This will appeal to a large swath of growing consumers who want to know their purchases are responsible and eco-friendly.

There is more demand for personalization from consumers. Also, they have made it clear that cookie-based advertising is undesirable. So what are brands to do? The 2021 Consumer Trends Index report polled 5,000 global consumers and, while 73% said that personalized offers based on past purchases were “cool,” 66% said ads based on cookies and tracked behavior were “creepy” (Glomb, 2021). This shows that consumers are looking for a better experience, not a better ad. They also want more control over what they share and who it is shared with. And as an industry, we can probably do a better job of showing consumers how their data is being used for more personalization and not to spy on them. One solution? Zero-party data. This is data shared explicitly with the brand directly from the consumer. It offers more personalization than cookies. One way this data can be retrieved is through a value exchange, such as sweepstakes questionnaires where participants are given a chance to win something. Other methods include polls, quizzes, or interactive social media stories. Why is This Important? The shift to zero-party data affects all brands because the way advertising collects and uses data to reach desired audiences is becoming more personalized. Zero-party data may also be a more accurate way for brands to understand their consumers as cookies get phased out. Future ad campaigns will have to find other ways of targeting that don’t use cookies. Final Takeaways Brands need to know how cookie-less advertising will affect them. Smart brands are investing in zero-party data strategies and ensure ad campaigns are even more focused on their consumers.

The future of advertising? QR codes. And it’s about time. The pandemic brought on a newfound appreciation for the functionality of QR codes, with 75% of US respondents planning on continuing to use QR codes. 82% are ages 18-44 while 64% are over the age of 45. QR codes give consumers a “touchless” experience during a time where health is a priority. Consumers in every age group are growing more interested in seeing brands use QR code technology. In fact, 54% of consumers 18-29, 48% of consumers aged 30-44, 44% of consumers 45-62, and 31% of consumers 65 and older have clicked on a marketing-related QR code. Why is This Important? This is not a trend that will fade away after the pandemic. QR codes appear to be here to stay. QR codes can easily be placed on out of home advertisements or direct mail so that consumers can be directed to a landing page, receive a discount, get more information, or follow through on a call to action. Unique QR codes close the loop on attribution for non-linear consumer journeys as they provide a way to track action taken after exposure to a non-digital, non-trackable media channel. Without QR codes, there is no way to know if someone came to the website by seeing a linear ad, walking by a kiosk, or reading a handout. These codes provide critical information to brands who want to know how and when people respond to their messaging. Final Takeaways Young adults are using QR codes the most and are more likely to adopt the usage of QR codes permanently. QR codes are convenient and functional, and allow consumers to engage with brands. Look into ways you and your brand can effectively incorporate QR codes into your ads. Those who already use them should measure and pay attention to conversions that come from QR codes as part of their broader attribution solutions.

In a move to massively increase the amount of original content on its platforms, Facebook announced it was investing $1B for creators to post content to Facebook and Instagram rather than TikTok, Twitch and YouTube through 2022. The $1 billion investment will incentivize these influencers to create and post original content, competing against Tiktok, Twitch, and Youtube. This investment will be used in two ways: Seed funding for creators to produce content New bonus programs to pay creators for hitting view and engagement milestones on the apps Why is this important to brands? Facebook is one of the largest advertising platforms for digital marketers and it continues to evolve in order to maintain a competitive advantage against other growing social platforms. This is Facebook’s biggest investment in attracting creators to date, and perhaps just its opening shot. Facebook is significantly changing things up by pushing out in-stream advertising, Reels, and IGTV ads through the feed’s algorithm. Facebook’s new products and policies favor creators, and savvy brands will not only recognize this but take advantage as they craft media plans. Final Takeaways Competition is driving Facebook to find more ways to get influencers/creators to use their app, and is changing the way brands will advertise in the process. Facebook’s $1 billion investment will go toward seed funding and bonus programs for creators, luring them from TikTok and other platforms. Use these new policies to your advantage and your brand will be ahead of the curve. - Bill and Exverus Team

A recent survey conducted by MoEngaged uncovered details into what consumers are actually looking for when it comes to privacy. The survey found that as marketers shift or transition their targeting tactics: 27% of consumers saw confusion from inconsistent messaging across channels and platforms 25% complained that brands failed to remember their preferences based on previous purchases 24% of consumers pointed to irrelevant content or products that sent too many or too few messages that were not personalized What the Data Reveals Not only do consumers expect brands to know who they are and what they want, but they notice when brands fail to create a personal buyer experience, and across different platforms. Contrast that to how consumers have voted for and supported privacy restrictions like CCPA, GDPR and the like. Is there a solution where brands can thread the needle? What Can You Do Most importantly, collect, sort and utilize first-party data in a privacy-compliant way. If they shop with you, they want you to know them. If you are a third-party, they don’t want you anywhere near them. Mix up your messaging and where it is placed. Consumers want to receive messages through a variety of channels. Switch up your messaging frequency. When asked how often North American consumers prefer to receive messages from brands, 37% said weekly, by far the #1 answer. The perfect mix of brand communications comes down to providing personalized, tailored experiences to customers while building relationships across a variety of channels and platforms. And yes, all while being privacy-compliant. Challenge accepted.